When friends learned of my diagnosis some months ago, books specifically about breast cancer, and cancer in general, began appearing on my doorstep.

My first thought was, “I’m living this, why would I want to read about it?” I quickly found how useful the books were as I needed answers to so many questions: How to read a pathology report? What treatment options were best for me? How to manage their side effects?

One book mailed to me by a friend is called Definitive Guide to Cancer. It has an interesting little sidebar called “Choosing Safe Skin Care Products and Cosmetics.” The section intrigues me because I learned, at a forum sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Bay Area Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center (BCERC) last November, that endocrine disruptors, which influence estrogen production, can be found in plastics and in cosmetics. Too much estrogen in the body can lead to breast cancer.

“Choosing Safe Skin Care Products and Cosmetics,” authored by Myra Eby and Susan Mesko, notes that, “Every day, researchers are learning more about the health risks of certain ingredients found in many skin care products and cosmetics. These ingredients have been found to be the culprit in health problems ranging from allergic reaction to birth defects to cancer.” The article goes on to report that up to sixty percent of a skin care or cosmetic product can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream.*

According to the article, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 5,000 chemicals in cosmetics alone. Several major categories of toxic ingredients are singled out by Eby and Mesko. The first, parabens, such as ethyl-, butyl-, propyl-, and methylparaben, are used as preservatives. These can be dangerous because they mimic estrogen. According to the authors, “Recent evidence indicates that topical parabens have been detected in human breast tumors.” Allergic reaction to parabens is also very common.

Another category includes preservatives such as DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15, which can release trace amounts of formaldehyde into the skin “causing a toxic effect at the cellular level.”

Fragrances, hair sprays, and nail polish often contain another category of chemical called phthalates. These chemicals have been linked, according to the article, to liver toxicity and genital malformation and are suspected contributors to cancer.

Synthetic colors are bad as well, as they can be carcinogenic. The authors suggest avoiding anything with “FD&C” or “D&C” followed by a number as an ingredient.

I inspected eight makeup and skin care products I own. Six have turned out to be dirty. The blush I use contains at least two paraben chemicals and quaternium-15. I’d been wondering why I coughed so much when I wear it. The Lubriderm lotion I was so happy to discover a few weeks ago contains three parabens and DMDM hydantoin. Even the Aloe Vera gel in my medicine cabinet has DMDM hydantoin. Some of these products, such as the blush, will have to go. But where does one find aloe without the preservative?

*Authors Eby and Mesko are president and production vice president, respectively, of MyChelle Dermaceuticals. The company provides skin care products they consider safe for consumers and the environment.